The Venice International Film Festival, renowned for catapulting films into the Oscar spotlight, once again captured the attention of the cinematic world on September 12, 2026. Though this year’s festival was marked by fewer big-budget Hollywood contenders than in previous years, six standout films quickly emerged as frontrunners for Academy Award recognition, each generating its own unique Oscar buzz and stirring lively conversation among critics and audiences alike.
First up is Primetime, a film that has critics abuzz thanks to Robert Pattinson’s riveting performance as Chris Hansen, the real-life host of the infamous early 2000s television show To Catch a Predator. According to BBC, Pattinson not only stars but also produces, appearing in nearly every scene. His portrayal is described as eerily accurate, with touches of “reptilian menace and wild-eyed obsession.” The Academy has long had a soft spot for actors who embody real people, and Pattinson’s blend of art-house credibility and mainstream charisma could finally earn him his first Oscar nomination. His year has already been impressive, with memorable roles in The Drama and The Odyssey, but Primetime might just be his juiciest role yet.
Next is Martin McDonagh’s Wild Horse Nine, a politically charged black comedy set against the backdrop of Easter Island in 1973. Instead of his usual duo of Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, McDonagh pairs John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell as two CIA agents on a bizarre holiday. As reported by BBC, Malkovich, now 72, delivers a performance that is both “magnetically weird” and deeply moving, playing an aging assassin wrestling with regret and pain. With two previous Oscar nominations under his belt, Malkovich is considered a best actor front-runner, and the Academy’s documented affection for “comeback” stories could work in his favor. The film’s blend of political intrigue and dark humor marks it as a distinctive entry in this year’s festival lineup.
One of the more unusual entries is Flesh Impact, a 17-minute live-action short directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and commissioned in honor of Marilyn Monroe’s centenary. The film imagines Monroe as a sprightly 100-year-old auditioning for a Broadway play, portrayed by the legendary Ellen Burstyn, herself a winner of the Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards. Dakota Johnson appears as the younger Monroe in flashbacks. According to BBC, the film’s title comes from Billy Wilder’s term for Monroe’s unique screen presence—the illusion that audiences could almost reach out and touch her. Gyllenhaal’s script gives Monroe the chance to narrate her own story, a poignant touch that has charmed festival-goers. Flesh Impact stands out as a rare Venice contender in the best live action short film category, and its warm-hearted approach to an iconic figure has made it a festival favorite.
Another film drawing considerable attention is Woman Unknown, a steely Danish drama helmed by director May el-Toukhy. Notably, it was the only film in Venice’s main competition strand directed by a woman. Set in post-World War Two Copenhagen, it stars Mathilde Arkel as a nanny engaged to her boss, a widowed industrialist. The plot thickens when an old schoolmate recognizes her on a tram and threatens to reveal her past relationship with a German during the Nazi occupation. As described by BBC, the film explores the moral compromises people make to survive and the ways in which men justify their abuse of women. Arkel’s performance has been singled out for its subtlety and emotional depth, and the film’s nerve-racking plot and meticulous period details have already prompted talk of a best international film nomination.
Lee Chang-dong’s Possible Love marks the director’s long-awaited return after his acclaimed 2018 film Burning. This intricately woven drama follows a middle-class director (played by Cho Yeo-jeong) and her wealthy husband (Zo In-sung) as they make a documentary about a striking factory worker (Sul Kyung-gu) and his wife (Jeon Do-yeon). The film delves into the complexities of class, authenticity, and connection, as the two couples navigate their relationships through drunken dinners and awkward weekend getaways. According to BBC, Possible Love currently boasts a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to its critical acclaim. The film’s nuanced exploration of friendship, class, and social boundaries makes it a strong contender for a best international film Oscar.
Rounding out the list is Alex Gibney’s epic four-hour documentary on Elon Musk, the world’s richest man. Gibney, who previously won an Academy Award for Taxi to the Dark Side in 2008, pulls no punches as he traces Musk’s journey from his South African upbringing to his meteoric rise as the head of Tesla and SpaceX. The documentary also delves into Musk’s political affiliations, including his support of far-right parties. According to BBC, the film “races through the tech mogul’s life, from his childhood in South Africa to his years as a geeky Silicon Valley hopeful, to his trillion-dollar success.” Musk himself dismissed the documentary as “a hit piece that misses and makes the fatal sin of being boring for four hours.” However, festival critics strongly disagree, finding the film anything but dull and predicting it could follow in the footsteps of Gibney’s previous Oscar-winning work.
It’s worth noting that while the Venice International Film Festival has long been a springboard for Oscar hopefuls—launching films like La La Land, The Shape of Water, Roma, and Joker in past years—this year’s crop is notable for its diversity of style, subject matter, and international scope. From the Hollywood glamour of Marilyn Monroe to the gritty postwar streets of Copenhagen, and from the high-stakes world of CIA agents to the intimate struggles of factory workers, the 2026 festival has something for every cinephile.
Behind the scenes, the festival’s selection also reflects ongoing shifts in the industry. The prominence of female directors, the focus on stories of survival and moral ambiguity, and the willingness to tackle controversial figures like Elon Musk all signal a festival unafraid to push boundaries and challenge viewers. The fact that Woman Unknown was the only female-directed film in the main competition highlights both progress and the work that remains to be done for gender equity in cinema.
As the awards season looms, all eyes will be on these six films to see which ones continue their journey from Venice to Oscar night. Whether it’s the star power of Robert Pattinson, the comeback narrative of John Malkovich, the inventive storytelling of Maggie Gyllenhaal, or the provocative lens of Alex Gibney, this year’s Venice selections have set the stage for a fascinating and unpredictable Oscar race.
With festival buzz at a fever pitch and critics already drawing up their shortlists, the only thing that seems certain is that these films—and their creators—will be at the heart of the cinematic conversation for months to come.